Saturday was a very special day for Jerry ‘Drumspeaker’ Chapman’s CD release party. People travelled as far as 8 hours away to be here in WA to celebrate. An afternoon feasting together and sharing the songs and stories from the recording. It was a memorable way for people to experience this new music and I was so encouraged by the response. Some great chats afterwards as musicians wanted to discuss with me how I had captured different sounds on the project.
It was an honour to be invited by Grand Chief Lynda Prince to help at a summit of First Nations grand chiefs, chiefs and tribal leaders in Seattle, USA. She had called the event to meet the leaders of the new and first ever Indigenous Embassy that will be situated in Jerusalem. The gathering was celebrating its opening with traditional protocol and ceremony.
The Summit included tribal leaders from many different nations, Metis/Algonquin, Carrier-Sekani, Coast-Selich, Ojibwe, Inuit, Cree, Haida, Apache, Cree Mohawk, Hopi, Cowichan, Lakota and Piaute, along with representatives from South Africa, Hawaii, Tahiti, China, Fiji, Kenya, Taiwain, Mexico and Borneo. We had a wonderful time of celebration with the sound of the drums, music and dance.
We are excited to announce the release of ‘Wake Up Sleeping Giant‘. We met Jerry in a unique way whilst playing in Canada. I asked one of the organisers as I was setting up equipment if anyone had First Nation drums – he said no, but a voice from the auditorium shouted back, “I have a van full, do you want to borrow some?”. Since then we have spent time with Jerry and his wife Leslie, playing together at various events, learning from each other drum building techniques and dreaming about recording some of his songs. The results can be heard on this new recording released ion January 6th 2024. Jerry is from the Stó:Lō nation and is a drummer, First Nations drum maker and designer, singer and songwriter.
A wonderful few days as nations gathered to share their stories and songs on the Torres Martinez reservation, hosted by the Desert Cahuilla. The Cahuilla people have lived in southern California since the early 1800’s. We were welcomed with the singing of “bird songs” – songs that speak of their stories, journey’s and creation. It was a day where every nation got to share their songs and stories, eat together and build new relationships. Very thankful and honoured to be invited onto their land for the first time.
A number of nations came together on the Wind River reservation in Wyoming last year, to bless the land and the Arapaho and Shoshone people.
We are on the Wind River reservation in Wyoming, the seventh largest Indian reservation. A place of great beauty, with broad fertile valleys surrounded by incredible snow peaked mountain ranges. Read More
One of the most energetic and lively dances at the 60th Annual Eastern Shoshone Indian Days Powwow on the Wind River Reservation in Fort Washakie, Wyoming. If you get to a powwow this is a must-see experience. The men wear brilliantly coloured regalia including double bustles behind their backs and smaller bustles on their arms.
The last couple of days we have experienced the incredible drumming and dancing at the 60th Annual Eastern Shoshone Indian Days Powwow on the Wind River Reservation in Fort Washakie, Wyoming. More than 700 dancers and 15 drum groups. Honoured to be here. Check out more powwow pictures.
It was great to visit the Muckleshoot Tribal grounds in Auburn. We were shown around by Norma McCleary whose mother was the last person fluent in their language. There is a language program trying to encourage revitalisation. They also have incredible facilities from an amphitheatre to wonderful powwow grounds for the community – thanks for the warm welcome Kenny and Charlotte Williams. Read More
It was such an honour to be part of a gathering of Celtic and First Nations musicians in Nova Scotia. During the gathering we built a teepee (during which we got eaten by tons of midges!!) on the grounds and enjoyed a very special night with Frank and Josie from the Mi’kmaq people. They led us in a very special ceremony around the fire after which we celebrated with drum, singing and the talking stick was passed around.
2018 has been a difficult year for the local people as the fisheries department had not allowed net fishing due to the extremely low numbers of Chinook Salmon returning to the Stikine river. Fishing is not only the livelihood for this region but has major cultural significance as whole families gather, celebrate and live in communal fishing camps when the salmon are running! Read More
